Acetylene-gas apparatus.



No. 634,8l1. y 'y imma-oct. 10,1899.

n annuali,

AcETvLENE GAS APPARATUS.

(Applicatio filed Dee. 28, 18,98.)

(No Model.) Y 2 Shees-Sheet l.

Vfm u j ci N s I R l w i #i l '1 f2 1 b V Q y C H ig t l N m B 'Qi y, N HEERE No. s34,|7. l Patented oet; lo, m99. A a. mmm-zn.

v@Ciminna sAs APP'A'RATus.

(Applicmon and ne@ es, dass.) (No Indal.) 2 Shoots-Sheet 2.

. I I l 1u: Nonms mins ca, Pnoruumd.. wunmcovd. u. c.

I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE HARDIEN,.`OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

ACETYLENE-G'AS APPARATUS.

SFECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No., 634,817, dated October 10, 189,9. Application iledJeceinber 28,1898. SerialNo. 700,518. (No model.) v

To @ZZ whom, t 71mg/ concern:

l Be it known that I, GEORGE HARDEN, a citi zen ofthe United States, residing at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Acetylene-Gas Apparatus, of which the fol-y lowing is a specification. y

My invention relates to apparatus for making acetylene gas; and it consists in the peculiar and advantageous construction hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims appended.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is alongitudinal vertical section of myimproved apparatus. Fig. 2' is a horizontal section taken in the plane indicated by theline 2y 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section taken in the plane indicated by the line 3 3 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail View of a swinging spout for discharging water into the carbid-holder.

- In the said drawings similar letters desig-v 'shown in Fig. l-that is to say, it comprises a central receptacle c, a Water-jacket [nextending entirely around and below the receptacle and having its upper Wall c inclined inwardly and downwardlyv to facilitate the placing of `the carbid-holder in receptacle d, a water-belt d, and a removable cover e, having a depending annular. flange f,designed to take into the water in belt d and form a seal, and also having hasps g, designed to take over staples h and be secured thereon bylocks (not shown)'to prevent unauthorized persons from opening the generator While the same is in operation. The carbid-holder F in the receptacle a is of the removable type and is provided vvith acentral vertical foraminated tube t', having a flared mouth j at the upper end thereof, as shown. l

G is a gasonieter arranged in the reservoir A and sealed by the water therein. It is guided in'its vertical movements by headed 'rods 7c, movable in guides Z on the reservoir,

and is provided with a pocket m on its top and also with interior pockets n for the reception of weights,.the purpose of which is to retard the elevation of the gasorneter. The interior pockets n are advantageous,because unauthorized.V persons are prevented from med- 'entering the jacket b of the generator at the bottom thereof tends to reduce the temperatu re therein, and when heated rises and passes through the pipe I baclr to the reservoir, thus giving place to fresh Water from the reservoir and maiutainin g a constant circulation of Water through the jacket Z) while the apparatus is in operation, with the result that the temperature in the generator; is maintained at about 1120 Fahrenheit, which is an important advantage.

.I is a pipe for conveying water to the calcium-earbid holder F. This pipe .I terminates at its inner end in a spout K and at its outer end in a vertically-disposed portion L, which loosely receives a pipe M, depending from a sight-glass N, as best shown in Fig. 3. Thefsight-glass N is arranged in a casing P,

Whichis connected by a bracket P to the gasonleter and is equipped with a'stop-cock Q (see Fig. 3) and is connected in turnbya iiexible pipe or hose R with the water-belt D at the upper end of the reservoir. of this construction the pipe M, sight-glass -N, and the casing P thereof are free to rise and fall with the gasometer Without affecting' the supply of water to the carbid-holder F, exceptwhenrthe sight-glass is raised above the Water in'belt D. l When the' sight-glass is thus raised above the 'Water in the belt D, the supply of Water to the carbid-holder is shut od until a portion or1 the gas in the gasome- By virtuer ter is removed therefrom and the saidy gasometer descends sufficiently to carry the sightglass below the water in belt D,when the supply of water to the carbid and the generation of gas will be resumed. It will also be observed that the sight-glass N enables the attendant of the apparatus to perceive when Water is being fed to the carbid-holder,which is a very desirable feature.

S is a pipe for conveying gas from the generator to the gasometer. This pipe S leads from the upper portion of the generator down through the bottom of the same and thence to and through the bottom of the reservoir and up to a point well above the Water-level therein. At about the point shown the pipe S is provided with a three-way cock T, with which is connected a pipe U, which extends up in the reservoir A to a point above the water-level therein, as shown in Fig. 1. From an intermediate point of this pipe U leads a pipe V, which extends outside the building in which the apparatus is situated and is designed to carry off gas, as will be presently described.

WV is a tube which is connected to the top of the gasometer and loosely receives the pipe U. This tube W is provided atv about the point shown with apertures p, which are designed when ihe gasometer is raised sufficiently to carry them above the level of the water in the reservoir to permit the gas to pass into the pipe U and escape by way of the pipeV into the open air. The gasometer will only be raised to the extent stated by a dangerous pressure of gas, and hence it will be seen that the pipes U V and the tube W serve the important p urpose of lessening the liability of an explosion.

In order that an explosion of gas maybe avoided in the event of a fire in the building where the apparatus is located, I have provided the pipe V', between the house-supply pipe E and the blow-off pipe V, and a valve V2 in said pipe V'. The valve V2 is normally closed; but in the event of fire it is designed to be opened. Vhen said valve is opened, the gas in the gasometer and the several supply-pipesof the building is discharged through the blow-off pipe V, and in consequence an explosion of gas is avoided.

The three-way cock T is normally set to establish communication between the generator and gasometer and shut off communication between the pipe S and the pipe U. When, however, itis desirable to discharge the genera- .tor of gas, the cock T is turned to establish communication between the pipes S and U.

W'ith a view of permitting of the generator B being opened andthe carbid-holder being replenished without subjecting the operator to discomfort and filling the building wherein the apparatus is located with gas I have provided a normally-closed cock t in the generator-cover e, an opening u in the removable cover o of the carbid-holder, a self-closing valve w for closing said opening, and a lug .fr

on the cover c designed to engage a corresponding lug y on the spout R. The spout K is connected to swing in avertical plane and has a depending portion z designed to take through the opening u in the cover o of the carbid-holder. With the parts just described inthe positions shown in Fig. l the depending portion e of spout K impinges against valve w and against the action of the weight a of said valve holds the same away from its seat and permits gas to escape from the carbid-holder through opening u into the interior of the generator.

When it is desired to open the generator and replenish the carbid-holder, the cock T is turned to establish communication between the pipes S and U and an air-pump is connected to the cock t, after which said cock is opened. VVith/this done the air-pump is actuated, and in consequence the gas in the generator is forced out through the pipes S, U, andV. While the air-pump is being actuated the cover e of the generator is raised sufficiently to withdraw the spout K from the opening u and is held in such position a short time, after which it is entirely removed. As soon as the spout K is raised out of the opening u the weight a of the valve will close the same and prevent the passage of gas from the carbid-holder to the generator. From this it follows that whan the cover c is removed from the generator after the manner described the carbid-holder is sealed and all gas is dis- IOO charged from the generator, andv in consei quence the dissemination of gas throughout the building is prevented and the operator is not subjected to discomfort. The sealed carbid-holder may be removed to the open air and there replenished and may then be returned to its position in the generator. Vhen the cover e 0f the generator is replaced in position, the spout K entering the opening it in the cover of the carbid-holder will press the valve w away from its seat, and thereby establish communication between the said holder and the generator.

It is obvious that prior to the removal of the cover e the cock Qshould be closed to cut off the supply of water to spout K and that said cock should be opened as soon after the cover c is replaced in position as it is desired to reestablish the generation ofA gas.

W'ater may be supplied to the reservoir A and belt D byany suitable means. I prefer, however, to employ supply-pipes r s.

The operation of my improved apparatus, briefly stated, is as follows: Vater is conducted from the belt D to the spout K and is discharged by the latter into the tube c' of the carbid-holder, by which it is distributed to the mass of carbid vthroughout the height thereof. This results in the' generation of acetylene gas, which is conveyed by the pipe S to the gasometer G. As the generation of gas progressesthe generator becomes heated, and in consequence the circulation of water from the reservoir to the jacket b of the generator and thence back again to the reservoir is established and maintained, with the result that the temperature in the generator is prevented from becoming too high. The generation of gas continues until the gasometer is raised sufficiently high to cut off the supply of Water from the spout K, when it ceases. Gasis removed from the gasoinete'r through the pipe E, and when a sufficient quantity is taken out to enable the gasorneter to descend the supply of Water to the spout K will be reestablished and the generation of gas resumed until the gasometer is again raised sufficiently to cut ed the supply of Water to spout K.

The apparatus described, while very simple and inexpensive, is highly efficient in operation and is calculated to maintain the temperature in the generator at about 112 Fahrenheit when Working full capacity, which is an important advantage. It will also be observed that by reason of the construction described the generation of gas is automatically stopped when a certain quantity of gas is contained in the gasometer andis automatically started when an appreciable quantity of gas is removed from the generator; also, that when an overproduction of gas takes place and the pressure becomes too great the surplus Will be automatically discharged and the danger of an explosion obviated. From this it follows that my improved apparatus requires but little attention, which is an imporl tant and material advantage.

my invention, what connection between said pipe and the three- Way cock, a house-supply pipe leading from the interior of the gasometer, a pipe interposed between and connecting the safety discharge-pi pe and the house-supply pipe, and a valve in said interposed pipe, substantially as specified. i

2. An acetylene-gas apparatus comprising a generator, a-reservoir, a gasometer arranged in the reservoir and sealed by the water contained therein and having a depending tube,

a safety discharge-pipe loosely entering the tube of the gasometer, a house-supply leading from the interior of the gasometer, a pipe interposed between and connecting the safety discharge-pipe and the house-supply pipe,` p

,enter the opening of the carbid-holder and unseat the valve controlling said opening, Substantially as specified. A

4. In an acetylene-gas generator, the coinbination of a casing, a carbid-holdei-iemovably arranged therein and having an opening in its cover and a self-closing valve for said opening, a Water-supply conduit arranged at one side of the carbid-holder, a verticallymovable spout connected to said conduit and arranged to enter the opening of the carbidholder and unseat the valve controlling said openin g, a cover for the generator, and means whereby when the cover. is raised the spout will also be raised, substantially as specified.

5. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination of a casing having a Water-belt at its upper end, a carbid holder removably arranged in said casing and having an opening in its-cover and a self-closing valve controlling said opening, a Water-supply conduit arranged at one side of the carbid-holder, a vertically-movable spout connected to said conduit and arranged toenter the opening of the carbid-holder and unseat the valve controlling said opening, a cover for the generator having a depending iiange arranged to enter the Water-belt of the generator-casing, coactin g devices on said cover and the spout Whereby when the cover is raised the spout Will also be raised, a gas-conveying pipe connected with the interior of the generator, and a cock also connected with the interior of the gen- -erator and adapted for the connection of an air-pump, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

GEORGE HARDEN.

Witnesses:

OLGA STOCKMAN, EDMUND R; GINNEY.

loo 

